High pressure sight feed



Dec. 26, 1933. w. H. KNISKERN HIGH PRESSURE SIGHT FEED Filed Oct. 10, 1930 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 26, 1933 NITE .H IGH mns's'm SIGHT FEED Walter H. Kniskern, Prince George County, Va

assignor to Atmospheric Nitrogen Corporation, New York, N.-Y. acorporation of New-York Application October-10. 19:50. Serial.No. ,487 ,88 If, '17 Claims. (011184-96)? This invention relates to sight. feeds, and more particularly to sight feeds of the-bulls eye type, in which a thick glass disk is employed to per mit observation of the new of drops of oil through a body of heavy, colorless liquid maintained in a sight feed chamber. i a

Numerous devices of this general class contemplated by-the present invention have heretofore been proposed, and in many instances have been designedto meet different conditions arising in practice. While the broad ideas involved in the construction of such sight feeds are more or less parallel, it often occurs that known de vices obtainable on the market are'not adaptable toadequately serve some operations. It has been found that suchis the sitution where 'it is necessary to periodicallysupply regulated quantities of lubricant to parts of machines, for example heavy duty compressors, where comparatively high pressures exist at the po-int or points of delivery of the oil. H

The present invention is directed to the construction of a sight feed particularly adaptable for service where it is required "to deliver alub'ricant against high pressures, say upwards of 1500 pounds per square inch. For operation under these conditions, the sight feed chamber and as-.

andspring reflector adapted to initially effect a tight jointbetwee n the glass and the casing. Afterthe initial establishment of atig'ht joint at low pressures. the scaling is further effected duroperation at high pressures'by the actionof the fluid pressure upon the rubber gasket, which i designed to yieldunder pressure in a manner which seals the jointinore tightly. v

The invention further comprises a particular design ofsight feed chamber by reason of which substantial quantities of the colorless liquid in the chamber may become exhausted without'permitting contact between the oil collecting in the top of the chamber and-parts of the sight feed.

specifically thegaskets, which are likely to become deteriorated by the action of the oil.

In anotheraspect; the invention isdir'ected to a-. sight feed construction having-associated.

therewith valve controlled ducts or conduits functioning in conjunction with a pump and. a liquid reservoir to provide an arrangement'for replenishing thefsupply of liquid in the sight feed chamher "without disconnecting the sight-feedfrom the associated oil pump, and while permiting the maintenance of an uninterrupted flow of oil through the sight feed chamber during the op'eration of replenishing the liquid supply in the sight feedchambe'r.

Fora fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention. reference inay be had'to the following detailed description takenin conmotion with the accompanying drawing in Figurel is an elevation of one embodiment of the presentinvention. Portions of Fig. 1 shown in section represent averticallongitudinalsec 7 tion taken approximately on" theline 1'-- 1 or Fig.3;-' l 2' q Fig. 2 is a "verticalsection Ontheline 2-;2 of Fi 1; '5 Fig.3 is essentially a plan view thatlportion shown in section being a horizontal section taken approxiinately'onthe line 3'3. offFig.

' Fig. 4" is a vertical section through. the pumping 'un'it taken approximately -on the'lines a in1Figsi1 and 3;" 5 Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section of a cylindricalgasket spreader? Y I Fig. 6 is an elevation ofthe spreaderlooking from the rightin'Fig. 5, and

Fig. 7 is a" vertical section of'a resilient reflector. I Referringto the drawing, the-referencenu meral IOfindicates; a block or casing including, for 'xamplejifour individual": sight feedsqfAs shown in Fig. 2 and-in the sectional portionat theright endof Fig. 1,th'e blocker casing 10 is cutout to "form" a series of'sight feed chambers ll and the associated upper auiiiliary" chambers 12; the purpose. of which will hereinafter appear. Each sig'htfeed chamber 11 has afcylindri'cal sight glass openingindicated generally at13, Fig. 2, which terminatesoutwardly in an annular shoulder 1 and an enlarged internally threaded portion adapted to receive" anexternally threaded ring or follower '15} The inner end of the foll05- lower l5, beyond thethreadedsection, is of reduced cross section, but is of such diameter as to eifect'the seating of the inner vertical surface of the ring 15 against theannula'r 'shoul der 14"i'nth'e block 10. Diametrically opposite notches 18 are cut into the circumference of the follower 15 to permit the latter to be screwed into are shown in such position as these parts occupy when the device is assembled and in use. When the follower 15 is screwed down tightfthe'e'dge of the inner vertical surface thereof bears against the shoulder 14 and a thin annular gasket 21fof' suitable material, interposed betweerithe rin'g 15 and the shoulder 14 and the sight glass 20. The thin gasket 21 bears no part mseaimg the joint between sight glass and ey rnas daisignt glass opening 13, but it is usedto compensate for the minute irregularities on the surface of glass ZO and follower 15, and to so provide a more uniform distribution of load between these contact"'s'ur' faces. "TIIGTOHDWEI 15 receives the thrust arisingfrom. the fluid pressureupon glass 20 and gasket 22; -A tight jointbetween the sight'glass and the casinglO-is effected by an annular, preferably rubbergasket 22 of U-shaped cross-section the-extensiorr;26., The-body25 of the spreader is slotted at 291tofacilitate the'placing of; the spreader in the .sightqfeed *chamber without interference with the oil feed nozzle hereinafter referred to.- Diametrically opposite-the slot -29fin the body of the spreader is anaperture 30 which permits the passage of -liquid therethrough from themainchamber 11 into the upper chamber 12. The cylindrical spreader is longitudinally of such length that i when the: parts are position as shown in Fig. 2, the blunt-edge of the ring :2 'pro jects some distance into the opening between'the e d f hel esha sa k tz i r -i Interposed between the body ,of the spreader and the wall. of; the -sight feed chamber 1% most remote from the sight glass is a resilient reflector disk '32-. When the-several parts are in place 'a'n d dished or concaved sufficiently seas to exert a spring lik'e action "on the spreader during and after assembly of the pa1ts. -The object (Si cone caving the. diskso thatit may act as-a spring i sjto insure a constant thrust upon spreaderz e, causing'it to enterthe opening between-the lips of; gasket 22,;thereby expanding it and effecting theinitial sealing. By the provision ofthe spring effect in the disk 32 deviationsfrom normal size or; gasket, glass and; spreader are also compensated for. During normal operation,-i.e., operation {at high pressures'the sealing iseffected by the fluid pressure coming between the-lips of gasket 22, forcing one side of the gasket against casing 1Q and the other" side against glass 2Q.

"lbsav faq p h diskr s o shed so a to provide a reflecting surface in the back of the chamber 11 thus facilitating ready observation through the glass of the passage of oil drops upwardly through the chamber 11.

Each of the four sight feeds in the casing 10 is provided at the bottom with an oil inlet 35, and at the top of the auxiliary chamber 12 with an oil outlet 3 6 A nozzle 37 is set into the upper end of the oil inlet and projects vertically upward somedistance into the interior of the sight feed chamber 11. The inlet oil passage 38 and the oil'outlet 36 are internally threaded to receive the sipe cdnneaiaias 39 and 40. The conduit 39 is connected to the discharge sideof any suitable force feed oilpump. 'As will be understood, the ouuet ceinie sengo conducts the oil from the sight feed chamber to lubricate some part of the machine with which the sight feed is associated.

Referring now to the auxiliary chamber 12, it will'be noted, by reference to Figs. 1 and 2, that-this chamber is positioned directly above the sight feed chamber '11, and that the recess forming the chamber 12 is of substantial size. As is knownin the art; thesight feed chamber ll is adapted to contain some suitable comparatively heavy, colorless liquid through which the suc cessive oil drops rise from the nozzle 3'1 to the chamber outlet; This liquid is usually a mixture of glycerine and water. Such mixture has prac tically no deteriorating effect upon the material constitutingthe resilient gaskets which are used in devices of the type with which this invention is concerned. However, over a period of time, these gaskets are affected to such an extent as to give rise to leaks if permitted to come in contact g'asket'22. Thechamber12-is of substantial dimensions, and is adapted to hold a considerable portionmf the body of glycerine-water mixture which is contained in the sightfeed as a whole, The chamber '12 permits the ready maintenance of the level of the glycerine-water mixture substantially'above the gasket '12 in spite of rather wide fluctuations in the total quantity of glycer ine-water mixture in the sight-feed, and thus avoids any possibility of contact between the gasket and the small amount of oil which is al- 5 Ways present in thetop of the sight feed chamber. For example, the level of the glycerinewater mixture in the chamber12'may fall to or even below the dotted line 42 without permitting any contact between the oil and the gasket 22.

To place the device as thusfar described in condition for operation, the disk 32 is placed against'the-rear wall of' the chamber 11 with the concave polished surface facing outwardly. The

spreader 14; is next inserted in the chamber 11 so that the slot 29 straddles the nozzle'37 and the aperture 30 in the body-portion '25 is directly above the endof the nozzle 37. The plane surface of the ring-25 of the spreader will then contact .theperiphery ofthe disk 32, The glass 20 and the gasket22 arethen set in place, and the follower 15 screwed down until'theperiphery of the inner vertical surface thereof wedges the gasket 21; tight against the shoulder 14: onthe casing. It will be noted that the follower 15 then bears directly against the annular shoulder '14, exerts no pressure directly against the glass 20, and is in a position-which may be described as axially fixed. There is therefore no vtendencytobreak the sight glass because of pressure applied di- I 1r;94o,es4 rectly on the giass" to hold the has in plac During the tightening of the follower 15, the blunt ring 2'7" on the spreader gradually becomes em- ,bedded between the lipsof the gasket 22; and

:when the followerl5 is seated against the shoulder 14, the disk 32 becomes substantially fiat tened. The combined action of the spreader 24,

the follower l5, and of the spring-like effect of the disk 32 exerts pressure on the gasket 32 and thus serves to spread'the same in a direction "ra'- dially of the glass and effects the initialsealing between the glass andth'e body of the casing l0.-

' When the chambers 11am 12 are filledwith a suitable colorless liquid: heavier than the oiljto 'be employed for lubricating purposes, and'the conduits 39 and 40 areoonnected respectively, to

the pump and the machineto beoiled, drops of oil, in quantities regulated bythe output of the force feedjoil pump, passupwardly from the end of the nozzle 3'7'through the liquid in the chamber 11, through the aperture '30 in the spreader 24, into the auxiliary chamber 12 and out through the connection 40' to the point of use.

During the operation of sight feeds of the type contemplated in the present invention, small quantities of the glycerine waterj mixture in the sight feed chamber'are from time to time carried out of the chamber along with the oilleaving through the outlet; Thus; over a more or less extended period; the supply of glycerine-water mixture in the sight feed chamber becomes gradually diminished, and, ultimately, it becomes necessary to stopthe force feed pump and disconnect the sight feed therefrom, in order to re"- plenishthe supply of heavy liquid in the sight feed chamber; suchashut down is highly uhde sirable, particularly where the sight feed is being used in connection with a continuously operating engine ormachine. The present invention contemplatesa mode of replenishing the supply of gilycerine water mixture in the' sight feed chamberFwithout' shutting down; the force feed pump, and while permitting the continuous passage of oil "through the sight feedchamber as usually required by" the machine being "oiled.

Beneath "the sight feed chambers; the block 1015 provided 'with a longitudinal duct; of

diameter sufficient to hold" arid-"facilitate the passage therethro'u'ghof a substantial quantity of glycerinewatermixture. e-The longitudinal duet isclosediatoneend by a pliig 46, and coinmii'nicate's atfit's opposite end with thedischarge side of "a force pump, indicated'generally bythe *reference numeral 47, shown"iri section in Fig.

a; The conduit 145 communicates with the inlet 35 and the oilpa'ssage38 of, each sightfeed cham-, 'ber by means of transverse ducts 48, Figsf'aand The passage or li uid t i a c 148 iscontrolled by a needle valve 49' adapted to seat in the forwardendljofia passage 48 ,The

valve needle isfor'med integrally withthe spindle "5 0 threaded'intoan opening in the b1ock"l0 as indicated at 5'1 iii Fig. 3. Leakage of glycerine- Qwater mixture from the conduit 45 around spindle 50 to the outside of the block is prevented bypackin'g SB held in place by the gland 54 and bolts 55 threaded intothe block; From a oonsiderationiof Figs. land'B, it will be apparent that the'admission of the glycerinerwater mixture from the duct 45 to any sightfeed chamber is selectively controlled by the manual operation of the associated valve needle 49.

The pump unit 47, for forcing the glycerinewater mixture into the conduit 45 and thence into any one of the sight feed chambers as rethe nozzle 3'7 and into the chambers '11 and 12. -When aisuflicie'nt amount of glycerine-water mixture has been injected into the'sight feed will be observed that this construction permits Since "certain. changesimay be made in the above" construction, and different embodiments "of the inve'ntion may-ibe made without departing from the scope thereof; it is intended that all claimr' the sight glass, and a member supported by a quired, shown in Figs; 1 and 3, and in section in Fig; ,4." Thebase 6Q ofthepump is cut out to provide'a suitable chamber for the valve cage nection is; maintained} between the extension 7 '66 and'theblock 10 by a gasket 67: The pump unit as a whole is attached to the-block lfl by bolts fiapass'ing through the base fioandthreaded at theii' inner e ds into the block lll as indicated atGSinLFig.

Reference numeral '70 indicates a liquid reservoir mounted on the base 60, and "communicating" with the inlet side ofthe cylinder through the'passage fll controlled by the 1111a valve' 72. A piston -74, havingon its lowerend a suitable packing ring 75, is reciprocated' in the cylinder 62 in the present constructionof the pump unit "by the manuallyfoperated handle 76. *The link '78 is pivotally connected at '79 tothe base 60, and at its opposite end-,f'as at ;to the end of the lever '76.Themanipulationfof'the' piston 76 will be apparent from a consideration of Fig. 4.

During the normal operation of eachfof the sight feeds, allthe valves e9'are closed, and'the conduit 45 is maintained full of liquid. If it becomes necessary to replenish the supply of glycerine-water mixture in any ofthe chambers,

'valv'e49 is first opened,and the pump is manipulated toforce thene'cessary. quantityof glycerinewater mixture, drawn from the reservoir 70, through the'duct 45; passage 48, inlet 35, through 'chambenthe associated valve l9 is then closed, and operation of the pump 47 discontinued; It

replenishing of the liquid supply in the chambers ll ancl IZ Without in any way interfering with'the steady flowof oil" enteringthesight feed through the conduit39 and leaving'through the outlet 40.

matter contained in the above description or lsh'own' in the accompanying drawing shall be 1 considered as illustrative and not by way of limil tation l In a sightfeed, the combination witha dasinghavinga sight'feed chamber'of an axial- 35 ly fixed ,tollower "engaging the casing, sight glass seated against the follower, 'a gasket engagingthe casing and the sight glass'; andmeans for spreading the gasket to forma between the casingfand the glasa 2. In a s'ightfee'dfthe combination with a casing having a sight feed chamber of'a follower t h i V engaging the casing, a sight glass seated against 7 the follower, agaska engaging-the casing and wall of the sight feed-chamber for spreading the gasket to form a tight joint between the casing and the glass.

3. In a sight feed, the combination with a casing having a sight feed chamber of a follower 1'50 n a he l a in a Si h ss e ed a ains the follower, a gasket engaging the casing, the

follower and the sight glass, and a member supported by a wall of the sight feed chamber for spreading the gasket to form a tight joint between theflcasin'g and the glass.v

ing having a sight feed chamber of a follower engaging the casing, a sight glass in the casing, a gasket engaging the casing, the follower and .the sight glass, and means interposed between the gasket and-a remote Wall of the sight feed chamber and cooperating withthe follower for spreading the gasket to form a tight joint between the casing and the 1 glass. a

; 6. In a sight feed, the combination with a casing having'a sight feed chamber of a follower threaded into/the casing a sight glass in the casing, a gasket interposed between the glass and the casing, a'spreader supported by a remote wall of the sight feed chamber and having an extension'engaging the gasket and coacting with the follower to spread the gasket to form a tight joint between the casing and the glass.

7. In a sight feed,the combination with a casing having a sight feed chamber of a follower threaded into the casing a sight glass seated against the follower, a gasket interposed between the glass and the casing, a spreader supported by a wall of the sight feed chamber and having an annular extension surrounding the glass, the said extension engaging the gasket and coacting with the follower to spread the gasket to form a tight joint between the casing and the glass. i s V V 8. In a sight feed, the combination with a casing having a sight feeds chamber of a follower threaded into the casing and abutting an annular shoulder thereon, a cylindrical sight glass in the casing, anannular gasket interposed between the glass and the casing, a spreader supported' by a wall of the sight feed chamber and having an annular extension surrounding the glass, the said extension engaging the gasket and coacting with the follower to spread the gasket to form a tight joint between the casing and the glass. a 9. In a sight feed, the combination with a casing having a sight feed chamber of a follower engaging the casing, a sight; glass seated against the follower, a gasket engaging the casing; and the sight glass-and means including a resilient member interposed between the gasket and the casing for forming a tight joint between the casing andthe glass. H 10. In a sight feed, the combination with a casing having a sight feed chamber of a follower engaging thelcasing, a sight glas s seated againstthe follower, a gasket'lengaging the casing and the, sightglass, a spreader abuttingthe gasket and a resilient member interposed between the spreader and the casing.

form a tight joint 11. In a sight feed, the combination with acesing havinga sight feed chamber 'of a follower engaging the casin ra sight Iglassseated against the follower, atgasket engaging the casing and the sight l s, a spreader abutting the gasket'and a reflector interposed between the spreader and the casing. r, v

12. In a sight feed, the combination with a casing having a sight feed chamber of a follower engaging thecasing a sight glass seated against the follower,- a' gasket engaging. the casing and thesight glass, a spreader abutting the gasket and a resilient refie ctor'interposed between the spreader and the'casing.

-13.rIn a sight feed, the combination with a the spreader coacting with the follower to expand the gasket toform a tight joint between the casing and the glass. V 14. In a sight feed, the combination with a casresting against a wall of the sight feed chamber,

ing having a sight feed chamber of a follower threaded into the casing and abutting an annular shoulderthereon, a cylindrical sight glass seated against the follower, an annular gasket interposed between the glass and the casing, a spreader having an annular'extension surrounding the glass and engaging the gasket, a disk-like resilient reflector bearing against the wall of the sight feed chamber remotefrom the glass, said disk at its periphery contacting the spreader, the spreader coacting with the follower to expand the gasket to between the glass and the as ng, f j

15. A sight feed comprising'a casing forming a sight feed chamber having an oil inlet at the lower end and an oil outlet at the upper end and adapted to contain a; heavyliquid, a sight glass opening in the chamben-means-including a gasket for forming atight joint between the s ight glass and the casing andan enlarged auxiliary chamber in the casing between the top of the sight glass opening and-the oil outlet whereby the liquid level in'the sight feed may; be maintainedabove the sight glass opening to avoid deterioration of the gasket; 1 V I 7 16. A sight-feed comprising a, casing forming a sight feed chamber therein adaptedto contain a heavy liquid, an oil inlet and-lan oil outlet for the chamber, an oil passage connected to the inlet, a second passage connected to the oil inlet,

and means for forcin gheavyliqui-d through the seoondtpassage into thecha mber while continuing-thev uninterrupted flow of oil-from the oil passage through the sight feed chamber.

1-7. A multiple sightfeed comprising a casing having a plurality of sight feed chambersv thereeach chamber being adapted to contain a heavy. liquid and having an oil: inlet and anoil outlet, a heavy liquid conduit in' the casing, connections between the conduit andthe inlet of each sightfeed. chamber, andmeansincluding said conduit and connections. for replenishing the heavyliquid supply in a sight feed chamber while maintaining. the flow of ,oil through the said chamber. U WALIIER. HQ KNISKERN. 

